Wow. I didn't know people actually did this!!

[Judique]

Actually Judique, I could have said most and be just as correct looking outside the US as well. But Marriott and DVC would tend to be different. All of those special deals I've looked at require both spouses to attend or they charge you more money AND you don't get the prizes.

Late response to this, Dean. My personal experience has been quite different as a single female. I get calls constantly from Marriott, Sheraton and Fairfield. They also mail me offers. I am upfront about being single. I still get the offers. But, I bow to your experience, since I haven't taken a tour since the one I did at Vistana Villages a few years ago. And, I am only familiar with the above mentioned timeshares, plus DVC, and also only in the US mainland.

Coincidentally, I was browsing EBAY a few minutes ago, after reading a thread about a DVC rental and I came upon a listing where married couples, cohabitating singles and single women, were eligible, but not single men. Here is the Item number: 6546947166, and link (not sure this will come through).(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6546947166&category=29579&rd=1) You must scroll almost to the bottom of the very long listing to find the box with this info. I found it interesting that women over 30 were eligible, but not single men.

 

[ColoradoBelle1]

Boy, the civil liberties people could have a hey day with THAT one.

I'm divorced and single and fill out the written stuff as such. I noticed that they give a minimum income as a requirement, but face it..they couldn't check.

I think the 'rules' came about to reduce the excuses for not buying NOW:
1. can't sign anything without my wife approving it first.
2. my gay lover would kill me
3. I can't afford the payments
4. why would a single person need all those points

Mostly, in the old days it was retired couples and families buying...so they probalby didn't want to waste time on singles until they realized that singles might be pursuaded to buy jsut as easily as retired couples. I think the age requirement used to be higher too. I remember my X signing up for a time share presentation about 25 years ago......for a faux leather carryon bag.!!!! I was NOT a happy camper, but went to the presentation...they kept us there about 4 hours during vacation and I made my then H promise: NEVER AGAIN. AT least now, you actually can get something of value (tickets to see Mickey!!!!) if you attend.

 

[Dean]

Boy, the civil liberties people could have a hey day with THAT one.

I'm divorced and single and fill out the written stuff as such. I noticed that they give a minimum income as a requirement, but face it..they couldn't check.

I think the 'rules' came about to reduce the excuses for not buying NOW:
1. can't sign anything without my wife approving it first.
2. my gay lover would kill me
3. I can't afford the payments
4. why would a single person need all those points

Mostly, in the old days it was retired couples and families buying...so they probalby didn't want to waste time on singles until they realized that singles might be pursuaded to buy jsut as easily as retired couples. I think the age requirement used to be higher too. I remember my X signing up for a time share presentation about 25 years ago......for a faux leather carryon bag.!!!! I was NOT a happy camper, but went to the presentation...they kept us there about 4 hours during vacation and I made my then H promise: NEVER AGAIN. AT least now, you actually can get something of value (tickets to see Mickey!!!!) if you attend.

Income is not that difficult. For targeted mailings and phone calls, they already know the income.

Judique, there's no doubt that it's been done. But it's a lot different getting the offers than actually taking the tour and getting the gifts. I have heard many stories of singles or a female who was the timeshare savvy person in the family being denied a tour or offered to do the tour but not get the gifts. I'm glad your experience wasn't the same.

 

[gppnj]

One more thought, just for the heck of it. I'd be willing to be that only a TINY, TINY percentage of people who go to timeshare presentations do it with the intent of buying. And I'm sure the salespeople know it. But they are also confident in their ability to turn a skeptic into a customer.

I'd love to know what the success percentage is.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) This is neither wrong, scuzzy or illegal.
2) The timeshare offers make legit offers for people to use.
3) The offers do not say you must be willing to buy.
4) They only say the purpose is to solicit timeshare sales.

5) I know many people who use timeshare offers to afford their vacations.
6) I know some who actual "chain" them together to make 1-2 weeks.
7) Sure makes a cheap vacation
. . . free or greatly reduced room costs
. . . free of reduced food costs
. . . free or reduced theme park tickets
. . . free of reduced golf and/or activity tickets

 

[Cruelladeville]

My vacation time is too valuable to spend it all on taking timeshare tours. I say that after having taken several tours, and each time I came away saying NEVER AGAIN, yet there I was the next year taking a tour. Two experiences did me in:
1--when I refused to buy, and insisted on my $100 for touring, the guide threw the $100 on the ground and walked away;
2--the timeshare refused to give me my kids until I signed. I didn't use my cell phone, I used THEIR phone to call the police! Once I actually made the call, I was quickly shown where my kids were being kept.

Marriott gave me a 4 night stay and a low-key tour. I took their tour and DVC's. I bought DVC, and went home and bought Marriott on resale That was the end of timeshare tours for me!

 

[idratherbeinwdw]

I whole heartedly agree with those saying as long as you carry out your end of the bargain--taking the tour--you've done nothing wrong. Morally, ethically or legally. You were contacted, invited to take a tour, and offered perks for doing so. You took them up on their offer. End of story.

It's one thing saying you personally wouldn't do a timeshare tour (for whatever reason you have) and another entirely to judge someone who does. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[drakethib]

Well, some locals just drop in and use the pools like they had a club membership. Takes all kinds.



Uhh... that's assault sir. Are you really planning to assault an individual over inappropriate comments?

Thanks for the law lesson, but I think I have it covered.

The answer to your question is no, I am not PLANNING to assault anyone over inappropriate comments.

What will not happen is someone speaking to my family in such a manner.

Especially some jerk wad who is upset that he won't be making a sale.

You may choose to do otherwise.

The answer to this email probably seems like I am trying to start a flame war.

Please know that I am not.

 

[Dean]

Link to a TUG thread related to singles touring.

 

[JimC]

We took our first tour in the Florida keys from a flyer on our windshield when we were first married (1978). The come on was some gift you would get at the end of the tour. It was an independently developed timeshare. Did not buy. Did not get the gift either - well maybe escaping with our wallets intact was gift enough!

We took the DVC tour in 1992 from a mailing we got in connection to an upcoming WDW vacation. Decided we could not afford to do it then, even though they would have reimbursed us for the park passes we just purchased (DVC provided them back then) and could transfer our reservation from CBR to the vacation club resort with no CBR charges - we had only checked in a few hours earlier. Very nice, professional and low key. If they had even exerted the slightest persuasion we would probably have found a way to do it then. But pressure was/is not the Disney way.

In 1998 we got an offer for Hilton -- something like $149 three nights, tickets to sea world and free rental car. We thought it would be a nice getaway weekend and an opportunity to see how another reputable hotelier handled timeshares. We told them upfront that we were not really interested in buying but wanted to learn more about their program and sample the resort. Well instead of putting us up at the resort we were at the Doubletree Castle. That did not impress us at all. Then we went thrrough the 90 minute tour (more like two hours + !) They kept us there with a parade of managers trying to get us to buy. At one point we had an offer of 1,000,000 HH points as an inducement. We were surprised at all of the pressure after we told them we were not interested in buying. The one really nice thing -- the free one day passes to sea world -- when we went to the park they said to turn them in and we could come back the next day free as well!!!!!

Did the DVC tour again in 2002 after a mailing for a super discounted stay at the AKL -- we wanted to stay there and thought that it was about time for DVC to be reconsidered. You don't know how many times we passed the kiosks or took pictures from the lake of VWL going up and did nothing. Ended up buying in (one direct from Disney and one resale - TSS) before we even arrived for the holiday. They said to keep the special offer anyway. Added-on when we went over to meet Byron.

September 2004 we stayed at the Marriott Maui on MR points -- great OF 1 bdrm! They had a discount card that I needed to pick up and they asked about our taking the tour. I had on a DVC hat and she said that the tour is low key like Disney. They offered 15,000 MR points for 90 minutes of our time early one morning. We told them that we would like to learn more about Marriott's program but would not buy then. They were low key, polite, took us to see other units, explained the program, provided a great full breakfast and gave me the 15000 MR points. Did not buy then as they only wanted to sell Hawaii properties and we thought the price and incentives were inadequate. We now own at Marriott Vacation Club as well as DVC.

We get the mailings and phone calls regularly for special offers. I would not do the tour just for gifts. I need to have an interest in the location, the resort and the program.

 

[Purrrrfecta]

What I found interesting was that I had a $100 invitation to visit the SSR timeshare presentation on our table at WL this summer.

Did I take the $100 offer? You know I did. Did I take the plunge? You betcha

Took the $100 and applied it to my resort stay.

 

[DVC-Don]

We took a timeshare tour in Hawaii just to get the sunset dinner cruise tickets.

 

[della]

Years back we were undecided about DVC and we were curious about what we would find off site. Someone told us that we could get free Universal Tickets if we toured this one particular place. We were told all we had to do was show up for breakfast. We had no clue! I had a new baby at the time. We dashed out to this breakfast leaving the diaper bag with the baby and sitter. We followed the directions to -I still don't know where - not too close to Disney. We signed in and they asked for our credit card. Noone mentioned we would need one. Mine was left behind in the diaper bag. They were annoyed with me but I told them I would get dh's as soon as he returned from the rest room. Turns out he put his in the diaper bag too (we were at Typhoon Lagoon a day earlier). Normally, the bag was with us everywhere we went. We were treated rudely and abruptly asked to leave! It was rather embarassing. Needless to say, we did not get the tickets! Flash forward...I get a call a few months ago from a timeshare in Florida. She says you and dh toured our program. I tell her no, this place was not familiar to me. She says, "Well! I don't want to get your husband into trouble, but he was here in April 1999,with a woman! And he claimed she was his wife!" I told her she was wrong but she said she had the card in front of her. It took me a while to realize this was the place that threw us out!

 

[rinkwide]

...the timeshare refused to give me my kids until I signed. I didn't use my cell phone, I used THEIR phone to call the police! Once I actually made the call, I was quickly shown where my kids were being kept...

Seems to be a trend. Wonder what happens to the poor people who aren't smart enough to call the police?

Look, I don't care what kind of bait they're offering, if you're willing to waste precious vacation time being psychologically assaulted by a barrage of slime-ball salespeople then I feel sorry for you. Life's too short.

 

[Wislodgers]

Years ago we arrived Orlando earlier than we planned so we stayed off-site (one and only time, never again). We could not check into VWL until later the next day, so we thought what the heck, its a free breakfast and tickets for all 5 of us to Blizzard Beach. That is a mistake we will only make once in our life! It was stressful, the sales people were rude, and thankfully we did not leave our kids in the center or I am sure we also would have called the police to get them back. We literally were being held hostage, and they were refusing to give us our "incentive" of our Disney Dollars. It took well over 3 1/2 hours. My DH stood outside and was telling everone that was walking in our story. A few people actually left and thanked us!

I would NEVER again do another time share presentation. One of the "selling points" was the salesman kept saying, "Wouldn't you like to be staying on Mickey's back porch?" My husband finally told him that we were DVC members and Mickey actually invites us into his house, so forget the back porch!

In our defense we were clueless. The only timeshare presentation we had attended was our DVC one that we bought at! We had no idea what the other companies did!

 

[chirona]

I had a bad experience as well. Many years ago I decided Iwanted a time share so I went to Florida just for that purpose. I made advance appointments with Vistiana and Silver Lake. At the last minute my co-worker informed me that Disney also had a time share. I decided I make and appointment in advance so I can compare a big corporate time share to the smaller ones. It worked out the disney was the first one I went to with no intention of buying into a corporate one because of the expense. I was floored it was beautiful. I took tons of pictures. I then infomed my late father that I really don't think I will get disney because of the money.

I went to Silver Lake second the man refuse to talk to me at first because I was a woman and I let him know that i was the one paying. When he realized I was not going to buy on the spot he yelled at us and left us in the middle of the resort.

Third I went to Vistiana The man was rude. My friend told him that she didn't want pay the price he was asking and mention she wanted to see Disney. He looked at her at said in a rude voice "Miss if you can't afford here you certainly can't afford Disney. He told us we were wasting his time.
I only spent about 4 days down there long weekend by Sunday I went back to disney I purchased there. I have never regretted for one minute my purchase. I love it more now than I did when I purchase if you can imagine that. I am sorry that my father never got to enjoy as much as I wanted him to. He did get to go with me a few times. Now my mother and I often go together to continue to make new memories.

 

[drakethib]

2--the timeshare refused to give me my kids until I signed. I didn't use my cell phone, I used THEIR phone to call the police! Once I actually made the call, I was quickly shown where my kids were being kept.


Please tell me your kidding.....

 

[Dean]

2--the timeshare refused to give me my kids until I signed. I didn't use my cell phone, I used THEIR phone to call the police! Once I actually made the call, I was quickly shown where my kids were being kept.


Please tell me your kidding.....

My guess is she is not kidding since I've heard of this type of tactic a number of times. I've also heard of people being physically threatened though not in the US.

 

[CherCrazy]

I'm with Dean on this one. My wife works part time I'll often ask her to take the first pass at getting quotes from a contractor whenever we want to have some work done on the house. She's had everyone from window installers to roofers flat-out refuse to come to the house unless both of us would be present.

Isn't that awful! I've had the same thing happen to me. It's so insulting. I refuse to deal with any company who does that and I let them know it too.

 

[jazzmanmgt]

I think the way timeshare sales/marketing call, write, phone, disguise mail, offer free vacations, and then in nearly impossible to read small print tell you about the presentaions/timeshare etc to get you to attend is tacky!